White blossom in the blood stained snow
by Reikan
Summary: Hikari, the genin that Kakashi once watched over is gone. Az the mysterious ninja from the Land of Lightning faces foes from the Land of Sound that are out with vengence, but who is she really? What is her true mission?


White Blossom in the blood stained snow

Chapter 1: Battle in the snow

The pure snow that had covered the Land of Fire surprisingly thick this year was tainted with the Shinobi's blood, as she attacked the last of the elite Jonin from the Land of Sound; or so she had thought. Kasai, the Kekkei genkai possessor of the wall pact trait was still alive! Kasai forced one of her invisible walls into Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke all three were knocked into the ground however the pain for them wasn't as bad as the older ninja's. A strangled whimper came from the Kunoichi from the village hidden in the clouds; she clutched her body desperately while the pain shot through her body and burned intensely across her spine. The leaf ninja's were unable to do anything; they could not escape the invisible walls nor dodge Kasai manipulations of it, it was hopeless.

Lee, one of Gai's student walked forward coming out of his temporary daze. He was still a little stunned from being knocked down by something he couldn't see earlier. Lee approached his sensei with a question "Gai sensei, can Az beat her?" Gai looked at the young leaf Nin that was almost a complete copy of him, he couldn't answer the question he was unsure himself "It's hard to tell, Lee" he replied

"We know nothing of her true abilities" Kakashi added and he was right, Az was a complete mystery. As far as anyone knew she was at Konoha on an important mission and the details of that mission were only given to the Hokage. It was not as if she was very social either, just standing in high places and gazing out into the horizon. Naruto had once asked her why she was doing that though the reply wasn't very clear 'To find a forgotten light, that was once bright in this land' was what she told him.

Suddenly several Kunai's were thrown from the snow. Three of them hit Az's shoulder, at that instant more crimson spilled from her body and splattered onto the ground. Az looked at the wound after she pulled them out, the way her body stilled as the kunai dropped into the snow was unsettling. Even though her face was hidden by the mask and hood you could tell she looked at it as if wondering how it got there. Now rising out of the snow was Kenati one of the other Jonin and the one who threw the kunai. He now joined with the fight with Kasai, putting more pressure onto Az while the two of them attacked her with a range of ninjutsu and taijutsu. Kenati swiftly appeared behind Az elbowing her hard in-between her shoulder blades, causing her to fall forward into the ground but Az lifted her self up hastily to her feet to retaliate only to be punched back down by the rapid Kasai. Kasai then performed a few hand signs, launching a ninjutsu assault "Sound style: Sonic dragon destruction!" she called sending a huge gust of vibrating sound waves in the form of a dragon towards Az. The dragon circled Az then wrapped round her like a snake, binding and squeezing her "ARGGGH!" Az cried out struggling to breathe under the pressure however she managed to execute two hand signs "Leaf blizzard assault!" she called out as another blast of wind only this time in the form of a blizzard of leaves cut through the dragon, forcing it to disappear.

The cloud chunin landed safely on the ground but she was kneeling, it was obvious the blood loss was slowing her chakra flow. The leaf ninja noticed this as well, Shikamaru above all "I don't care how strong she thinks she is, if she loses more blood then it'll be over" he stated to no one in particular

"He's right; we have to find a way out of here!" Naruto exclaimed raising his fist to slam it forward

"NARUTO!" Kakashi warned "don't do that, you could end up hitting one of the walls." Naruto let his fist drop to his side and he gazed out to Az. She was now panting slightly but still kneeling as well as keeping her eyes on both Jonin who were waiting in front of her, they just waited as a deathly silence followed. The silence seemed to thicken the air somehow; each tiny sound became more acute.

Abruptly Kenati ran forward in a sprint, gathering two kunai knife's out of his leg pouch while Kasai also ran but stayed behind holding 3 shuriken in each hand. Kenati and Kasai launched there attacks quickly, he went in for close combat while she held back for distance they both thought Az would not get out it in the current condition she was in. On the contrary it was the complete opposite Az was ready with a special surprise of her own. Kenati's left hand with was meant to attack was stuck in a barrier defense of red liquid; it was the same as Kasai's thrown shuriken they were lodged into the strange substance. "What…what is this?!" Kenati spoke angrily examining his now sticky hand while Kasai stared in disbelief

"What is that red stuff??" Kiba asked curiously, Akamaru barked in a confused answer

"Its blood" Kurenai told him and the others, shocking the young ninjas except Sasuke, Neji and Shikamaru.

Az grinned behind her mask as she kept her left arm raised, holding the barrier up "that's right, I channeled my chakra into the blood spilled into the snow to use as a defense" she explained rising up to stand. Then Az pushed the blood barrier into Kenati and Kasai sending them both succumbs into the deep snow, Kenati hauled his body up slowly but Kasai darted up and headed to hit Az. The two kunoichi's attacked each other with powerful kicks and punches while trying to dodge each others hits, this left Kenati almost forgotten so he used it to his advantage. He turned to the trapped leaf ninja a sly smirk spreading across his face "I don't like that look" Iruka warned while keeping his gazed fixed cautiously on Kenati

"he's up to something" Kakashi mused and right he was Kenati waltzed straight up to them but keeping a small distance as he was being mindful of the barrier, his face radiating deviousness "You know, the sound village has heard rumors about a leaf genin" he began watching them intently

"Rumors, about whom?" Sakura inquired

"About a female Ninja named Hikari Hiwatari" he smirked even more smugly if that was possible. The leaf ninja's froze. No one had mentioned that name for 2 years. Even Az stopped, her sandals scuffing up snow as she skidded to halt in mid attack. Kasai took the open opportunity to strike her down with a chakra concentrated punch. Az fell down hard into the snow, after a delayed reaction to block. "What about her?" Kakashi managed to say without growling "We heard how Rai took her over the waterfall and how her mangled body was found in the Land of Thunder. I'm sure your friends over there knows about it" Kenati snickered, leaning as far as he dared.

Az looked at the ground, trying hard not to feel the stares from the ninja's but it was difficult. "You knew Az didn't you!" Naruto yelled at her "that's why! That's why you stood and watched, because you knew where Hikari came from!" he continued sadness laden in his voice. Iruka looked at his old student sadly then he looked over at the Cloud ninja "Az is that true? You knew about Hikari?" he asked but got no answer "Az answer us!" Kakashi shouted and this startled her, looking up slowly her expression hidden behind the mask. "I…I couldn't tell you" she said guilty

"heh, heh the Hiwatari's had no real power, they were pathetic weaklings! They had no right to posses a Kekei Genkai!" Kenati declared

"That's a lie! I refuse to believe Hikari died without honor!" Lee protested

"bushy brows right! Believe it!" Naruto called out

"Get over it, that brat's family died in shame and so did she" Kenati said angrily. Meanwhile Az was rising from the snow, pushing her blood marked body up. "You're wrong!" she growled her hood falling over her mask. "What would you know? You never even told her friends" Kenati snarled venomously signaling Kasai to strike her down again but Az blocked and retaliated.

"Az is right, you are wrong" Kakashi continued her words "Hikari…" he paused getting rid of the strained pain that shadowed his voice "Hikari fought bravely till the end, your friend Rai was the one begging to be released"

"Hikari was a true Ninja" Iruka added

"A spirit of youth!" Gai joined in giving his trademark sparkling smile and thumbs up; also a sunset happened to just appear behind him out of nowhere. Kenati was growing more infuriated, he was on the brink of breaking. Casting a few hand signs, he plunged a kunai forward through the barrier without hurting Az and sweeping it across Kakashi's chest in lighting speed then quickly returning behind the barrier. Blood poured from the split skin and soaked Kakashi's vest, he stood still absorbing the pain. "Kakashi sensei!" Naruto and Sakura shouted worriedly, Iruka was by his side if he needed to support him. Then Naruto and Sasuke both rushed forward to find away to break the barricade and get into the battle with Az.

Az was standing still looking towards Kenati and the others. Rage and pain filled her heart rapidly consuming her mind and clouding it. A burst of chakra drew everyones attention to her. The chakra was so strong it was visibly swarming Az, and the power that was emitting from her was so strong her mask began to crack. Small, tiny bits falling as the cracks etched deeper. "You will pay for that Kenati!!!" she vowed with vengeance holding one hand sign and murmuring words. "That sign, it's impossible" Kakashi questioned, Gai, Iruka, Kurenai & Asuma also looking with questioning faces. "That's her ninjutsu" Asuma pointed out while Az summoned and channel a great deal of chakra to her hand "Red moon blossom daggers!" Az cried out, running faster than human eye could keep up with. Only cherry blossoms could be seen flittering in her path, creating a blanket on the snow till they suddenly short forward like daggers. They pierced Kenati's back deeply almost going right through.

Az's hood had flown backwards during the attack and her mask now fell to the ground crumbling into pieces. "Hikari never died" she breathed into Kenati's ear as he drew his final breath and dropped to the ground before her feet. More of the clean snow was now stained with warm crimson blood "Hikari?" Kakashi asked uncertainly. It looked like her; she had the same wolf ears, the same warm yet fierce brown eyes and the same pale flawless but tired face. It had to be her, he was sure of it. "It was you…all along" Naruto said stunned "But we saw you go over the water fall?" Tenten explained. Hikari choose to stare at her hand avoiding eye contact "Why didn't you tell us it was you?" Ino asked. The redness from the blood became fascinating to Hikari, questions were not what she wanted she did not want to be forgotten and not recognized any longer.

"I'm…..here..." she spoke softly watching for a moment as some petals from her attack blew out of her silver hair that was tied up in a bun like style. An almost forgotten Kasai was about to launch an attack at Hikari, but she darted still with adrenaline pumping through her to Kasai, kicking her to the ground immobilizing her. Hikari was feeding off the power in her, placing now sharp claws to the throat of the red headed Jonin as she knelt over her body. Fear was radiating off Kasai, increasing and powering Hikari's wolfen senses "give me a reason why I should not kill you" she spoke, her voice mixing with her Kekkei genkai the Hinataku. Kasai was unable to answer only she forced a kunai into Hikari's left flank; she snickered as Hikari let out a cry of pain. Furious she stabbed her sharp claws into Kasai's chest to her heart, squeezing the life out of it with her hand and ripping it apart with her claws. Kasai died instantly; blood flooded out of her open chest wound and covered Hikari's alreaady stained hand. She pulled it away and it felt sticky, gooey as she flexed her fingers.

The wolf nin then stood up and starred at the Kunai sticking in her side. Groaning irritably at her task she now had to do she pulled it gingerly out from where it was wedged in, whimpering slightly. Unfortunately her knees gave out from the strain at that moment, falling into the cold snow, Hikari sighed contently. The snow cushioned her fall as she landed face down tired from blood loss and fighting, sleep was shadowing her body also. The barrier wall should have disappeared now but the leaf ninja were not sure so they made no indication to advance, as this happened Kakashi reached to the ground picking a handful of the bitter cold snow and he threw it forward. The barrier may be invisible however it was still a physical object so the snow would have to reveal it. The thrown snow landed dully on the ground again in scattered parts exposing there was no longer an obstruction left to block their advance.

Kakashi knelt beside Hikari's body; her breathing was slow and even as she lay there not being bothered to move over on her back. The copy ninja pulled her round gently in his arms from her face down position; Hikari winced languidly as a numb pain washed over her. Kakashi smiled behind his mask as clumps of snow remained on her cheeks and nose. Strands of her silver hair that now could be seen was tied into a slack bun style with some bangs hanging on the sides, were drifting into her face. Her mind was beginning to feel fuzzy and hazy making everything seem surreal, Kakashi began to look like a blur of colours through her eyes "I said he was wrong" she grinned a sloppy, lopsided grin. Just like the one she used when she felt dopey "I wouldn't die like that…" she trailed off as sleep took over, her eyes closing softly hiding the pools of gentle brown.

The snow was falling again, light snowflakes flittering to the ground just like the petals of Hikari's blossom attack. Kakashi now stood up carrying the resting wolf nin, he started to walk back through the forest back to Konoha and to get the bleeding girl to the hospital. There would be time for questions about what happen later and as the group of leaf ninja left the scene into the distance, watchful eyes scrutinize from the shadows eagerly…


End file.
